Strap buckles



Oct. 11, 1966 A* w. GooDRlcH 3,277,542

STRAP BUCKLES Filed April 20, 1964 INVENTOR. AA/ewv uf. 600m/CH Wei@ A TTORNEYS.

United States Patent O 3,277,542 STRAP BUCKLES Aaron W. Goodrich, DewittHotel, Lewiston, Maine Filed Apr. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 360,952 1 Claim.(Cl. 24-177) The present invention relates to a novel improved buckleand buckle and strap combination.

In the shoe industry in particular, `but generally applicable to strapsand buckles and belts, it has been found that a considerable amount ofthe oost of manuacture is involved in the Ilabor of assembling thebuckle to the strap.

In the manufacture of straps and buckles for womens shoes or forwatches, for example, not only is there the problem of the labor inpreparing a strap and buckle cor use, but there is the secondary problemof having sumcient variations of size to meet such problems as theinstep variety, encountered all within the same shoe size or wrist sizesfor Watch straps.

According to Ithe present invention, a buckle and buckle and strapcombination are provided which can be assembled without sewing andadjusted for size with a minimum of loose strap overlap and strap holes.

Although such novel feature or features lbelieved to be characteristicof the invention are pointed out in the claim, the invention and themanner in which it may be carried out, may be further understood .byreference to the description following and the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan View of a buckle according to the present inventionwith the straps cut away.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the buckle of FIG. 1, showing theattached straps.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the buckle of FIG. 1 without anystrap.

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of the buckle of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a cut-away view of the buckle and straps and taken on the line5 5 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the buckle and straps, taken on the line66 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a front elevation of another embodiment of the presentinvention.

Referring now to the figures in greater detail, where like referencenumbers denote like parts in the Various figures.

The buckle 1 of the present invention is provided with a conventionalloop 2, crossbar 3 and tongue 4. The tongue 4 is swingably engaged aboutthe crossbar 3 at a declivity 5 in the crossbar 3 so the tongue cannotnormally slip out of position. The tongue 4 conventionally rests uponthe front portion 6 of the loop 2.

Integral to the buckle is an underloop 7 formed by the crossbar 3, theside frames 8 and a base 9. Integral to the base 9 is a protrudingtongue 10 including Wider head portion 11.

Integral to the buckle and extending from the base 9 and opposed to theunderloop 7 is a back loop 12 having a three-frame member 13.

The tongue 10 is angulated upward so as to avoid any contact withclothes or flesh and has a head 11 of wider diameter than its shank sothat a strap end 14, provided with :openings 15, may be engaged upon thetongue without being likely to become easily disengaged. The head 11 maybe sharp enough to penetrate a strap and make its own opening.

In applying the buckle 1 to a strap 16, the strap is threaded throughthe back loop 12, the underloop 7 and 3,277,542 Patented Oct. 11, 1966lCe engaged on the tongue 10. The length of the strap may be adjusted bya selection of any of the openings 15.

Normally closure is effected by threading the closure strap 17 in theconventional manner through the loop 2, engaging one of the openings 18.The loose lend 0f the strap 17 -may then be secured within the loop i12as shown in FIGS. 2, 5 and 6. The loop 12 being integral to the buckle 1saves the labor oftentimes require-d to sew an additional loop onto astrap for securing a strap end.

Whether the straps are individual, as shoe straps, or circumferential,as wrist band straps, the strap overhang upon closure can usually beadequately adjusted to prevent a long loose strap not properly held inplace by one loop, by shortening the end strap 14, using th'e openings15 and the tongue 10. A long length of visible openings is avoided byhaving openings 15, 18 along both straps 16, 17. Strap size adjustmentcan therefore be made on either or both straps 16, 17 and makesunnecessary the separate leather retaining loop which was prevalent inthe prior art.

The underloop is usually formed at a right langle to the front loop 2,and with the base 9'and back loop 12 forms a sort of U, which ispreferable. The U may have its legs shortened or Vd somewhat, but mustallow enough room for the tongue 10 and the double thickness of straps16, y17.

The tongue 10 may be set black and protrude from the base 9 or multipletongues may be used, for instance, one protruding from the base 9,without departing from the spirit of the invention.

As can be seen in FIG. 7, two of tongues 10 may enter from the base 9for the proper gripping of widler strap 16 without departing from thespirit of the invention. Of course, even more than the two tongues 10-Would adapt to larger straps.

The terms and expressions which lane employed are used as terms ofdescription; it is recognized, though, that various `modifications arepossible within the scope of the invention claimed.

Having thus described certain forms of the invention in some detail,what is claimed is:

A buckle closure and strap combination comprising a rst buckle loop, :acrossbar, a tongue swingably engaged to said crossbar and adapted torest on the front portion of said loop, an underloop integral to saidbuckle and having as one of its sides said crossbar, a bfase, la backloop, said underloop and base and back loop being in a substantial Ushape, an upwardly angulated tongue protruding from the edge 0f saidbase including a point and a head portion wider than the shank of saidprotruding tongue, a first strap end including openings and adapted t-obe adjustably held in said rst loop by said swingab-le tongue, yand asecond strap end adapted to be adjustably held by said protrudingtongue, the end portion of said first strap end being adapted to litthrough said back loop when said strap is engaged in said buckle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS WILLIAM FELDMAN,Primary Examiner. E. SIMONSEN, Assistant Examiner.

